


Brave, slightly dented

by AndroidTwin (LolaDiBlack)



Series: Headcanon me, Tumblr! [6]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky is NOT a hipster, Extremis Tony Stark, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Tony is already Iron Man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-03 12:39:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12748485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LolaDiBlack/pseuds/AndroidTwin
Summary: 18 months after his abduction, Tony Stark is hiding inside some stranger's bathroom.All he wants is to make it home to his bots and a hot shower.





	Brave, slightly dented

**Author's Note:**

  * For [arwenxs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arwenxs/gifts).



> Over there in TumblrLand, arwenxs asked:
> 
> "Listen, I am genetically modified and on the run and you will let me hide in your house" au for winteriron please?

Tony would be gladder of his latest "upgrades" if it weren't for the fact that he was been chased by the people who forced another bout of mods onto his organic system and for fuck's sakes he missed Pepper and JARVIS, with their constant nagging about how he was indeed a real flesh and bone-soul bound boy. As Tony, who's been dodging EMP-bullets and also the other kind that could still make him bleed, ducked into an empty dead end alleyway, because he was honestly tired, his pursuers were going the merry-way-round  so he had at the very least, a minute to breathe and regroup.

One of the upsides of this late bad hand is the ability to calculate 3 times faster and his flash quick scan revealed an empty apartment on the last floor of a building, Tony took a running leap and made it to the emergency staircase with agility that he use to lack in his late 30's and after the reactor. Procuring to make the least amount of noise, Tony broke into the apartment and did another scan; paranoia was more of an ally than a hindrance. The place seem well kept but small, it had the one bedroom and a small bathroom, an open space that was a mesh of living-dinning-room with a narrow breakfast bar that separated the equally small kitchen. It was there he found a newspaper (and why did people insist on those still, he'd never know) he trying to pin-point how long he'd been gone this kidnapping around and after seeing the date, Tony lost a bit of time.

He knew he made it into the shower before completely losing it, but that's about it. 18 months, he's been gone for a year and half! They had him for that long, experimenting on him, making him even more machine, altering him for 547 days. Tony startled out his fugue when a door closed, with the alterations it sounded more like a gunshot, it made him stay, exactly where he was, hyper aware of the shuffling footsteps and the thud of a bag, the opening of a fridge and then the person - whoever they were, most likely the tenant of this matchbox sized apartment- got closer to his hiding place. Ha, if Natasha could see cocksure, arrogant, narcissistic Tony Stark now.  

Bright flashes of information overload seized him momentarily and then he was trapped inside the tub of some stranger, while they took a piss, goddamnit! Tony tried his very best to remain still and keep his breathing to a minimum not that it seem to do anything, because he found himself staring at the barrel of a gun pointed at his head after the curtain had been yanked.

Before the other man could say anything, Tony had his hands up (he missed his suits, the weight of his gauntlets, JARVIS in his ear) and spoke as fast as he could. "Listen, I was kidnapped, genetically  modified and currently on the run." The man didn’t lowered his gun but he looked…confused? "will you let me hide in your house?"

In the very uncomfortable silence that reigned afterwards, Tony studied the man before him. The way he was holding the gun suggested familiarity and experience, maybe a police officer, nah, the man was quiet and studious; patient, like a sniper. He was also pretty good looking with pale eyes, dark hair and stubble and if Tony was right, hiding a body that was tight as a drum and hard as a brick wall. Glad to know his libido was still alive, just wrong time to make itself known. "Who are you?"

"What a man takes a forced sabbatical for a year and half and the general public forgets his name?" The man just raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by Tony's wit. Sighing with resignation, Tony answers at last. "My name is Tony Stark, owner and former CEO of Stark Industries, there."

Instead of relaxing, the man frowned and took aim, growling. "Bullshit, Tony Stark was pronounced dead…"

Tony does his very best not to flinch at the vehemence in the guy’s voice and interrupts him. "Let me guess, a year and a half ago? I almost did, you know? Touch and go for while. Which is why the fuckers that took me gave something and no, I don’t fucking know, alright? All I know is that I was there for the last 18 months and they want me back and I can't call JARVIS or Pepper without alerting them and for fuck's sakes I haven't even looked in a mirror, I must look like a deranged hobo, godfuckingdamnit! I just wanna go the fuck home to my 'bots and maybe take a hot shower and learn what the fuck did they inject me with and sleep, I wanna sleep and coffee and can you fucking please get that fucking gun outta my face!?"

One of his hands was over the reactor and the other on the wall of the shower, his breathing was shallow and he was really, really close to panic. Tony understood the stranger, he'd for all intents and purposes broken into the man's home but the mere thought of falling into the hands of the people who'd kept him captive for almost 2 years was too much. "…HEY! Slowly, breathe in, hold it. 1, 2, 3 and let it out. Good, again; in. hold it. 1, 2, 3 and out. Very good, dollface, that's it."

Somehow, Tony went from being a possible threat to dollface in the span of shortness of breath, and shit that tone of voice shouldn't give him head tingles, shouldn't relax him so, but apparently this guy was a "Tony Whisperer". When he felt he had a lid back on the shitstorm of emotions he had no time to deal with, Tony looked at the man, who was looking at him with too much understanding. "Is there someone you can call? To at least tell them you're safe?"

It was his turn to look distrustfully at the man. "Am I? Safe, am I?"

"Wha- Yes! I saw some shady shit on my way up here and I doubt someone looking as roughed up as you do will make up being on the run from kidnappers, so I'll ask again; do you have someone you can call to tell them you're safe?"

"I can't call them. You'll have to do it, the less I expose myself the better you'll be."

"I can take care of myself!" And there was that growl again, lovely.

"I don't doubt that, Robocop. I just don't want to risk you if I can help it." Tony tried to placate the man. He felt the sting of the flashing influx of information and wherever they have kept him until now had to be deep underground because since his escape, he kept receiving data, like a fucking machine. "and to answer your question, yes, there is someone. Her name is…"

"Eh, no. Don't tell me ok, just dial the number and I call."

"Fine, do you have a phone with you?" The man huffed, as if Tony had greatly offended him with the question. "What? I don't know if you're one of those hipsters with technophobia."

"First of all, I'm not a 90 year old grandpa, second, hipsters are not technophobic, they're just pretentious little fuckers that try to fake they are and third, I am not a hipster." Ticking each point with a finger.

"Coulda fooled me with the man bun you're rocking. Also, hipsters tend to deny being hipsters so…" The man huffed again and stood from his crouch, exiting the bathroom with gun in tow.

"Are you gonna camp out in my shower?" Carried the man's- and really, Tony need to find out his name- voice, with little trepidation, Tony made his way to the living-dinning room-kitchen and found the man unlocking his phone, his iPhone, Tony was honestly a bit insulted but refrained from commenting on the man's lack of taste, at least it wasn't HammerTech. "Here."

Tony forced himself to take the phone, no time for his hang ups and without missing a beat he dialed Natasha's number, the one only a select few had and he wasn’t supposed to be one of them, but whatever needs must and all that jazz. When the phone started ringing, Tony started feeling antsy and gave it back to the man, who was standing still as if awaiting orders. "Military?"

The man nodded. "Sergeant of the 107th, 3 tours."

"What changed?" Tony asked, because for Rhodey it was becoming a liaison between SI and the Military. The man - Sergeant- opened his mouth to answer.

"Who is this and how did you get this number?" Ah, the murder vibes of the one and only Natasha Romanoff, it felt like a soothing balm. The Sergeant lifted his left arm to Tony in lieu of an answer, a prosthesis.

"Hello my name is James Barnes and I have a message on behalf of T…" The man, James Barnes, -Tony mustn't forget, not like it was likely but just in case he made a mental note and felt a ping- cut himself off at Tony's abortive gesture and widened his eyes in exasperated question.

"On behalf of?" Natasha's tone promise loss of limb for James, who looked like he couldn't afford any more. Tony thought about muting the phone and to his surprise the mute icon lit up, shit shit shit! "Hello?"

"Tell her, a man not recommended."

James looked at him like he looked at Dum-E when the bot was being a deranged lunatic and sighed when Tony made shoo motions with his hands. Tony thought 'unmute' and James repeated his words.

"Come again?" There was a flurry of sound in Natasha's background and Tony winced at the volume.

"I said, I'm calling on a man not recommended."

"You're serious?"

"Yes, ma'am." He ignored Tony's vigorous head shake and carried on. "He is standing right in front of me. Looking a bit rough but all in all in one piece."

"I'm coming over."

That seem to shake James. "I haven't even given you my address, ma'am."

"Call me 'ma'am' one more time, I dare you. Also I don't need you to tell me, I've got you pinned."

"What the fuck?"

"I'll be there in 20 minutes."

"Inconspicuous, Rushman. Tails." Tony couldn’t help but warn.

There was a breath on the line that sounded too much like a relieved sigh, ok. Tony signaled James to hang up and he did. "What the fuck was that?"

"That, James, my friend is the very terrifying badass known as Natasha Romanoff." Tony said with a smile, and James was staring. "What?"

"Don't call me James. Bucky will do." And What?

"What the hell is a Bucky?" Tony asked incredulous, hands on his hips. Clearly judging the other man.

James- Bucky- smirked and gestured himself with his hands. "I'm a Bucky, you'd be too if your name was James Buchanan, which lucky you is not."

"Did your parents want you to get beaten up? 'Cause that's how you get beaten up." Bucky rolled his eyes at Tony and made a show of pointing at the bathroom.

"Wanna take a shower before your girlfriend shows up?"

"Not my girlfriend. I'm single as a dollar bill on a college student's pocket after paying tuition." and because Tony needed to keep himself grounded until he reached home again, until Natasha came to take him home to Pepper and Rhodey and the 'bots. Tony made a show, ok, not that much of a show because Bucky was hardly hard to look at. "How about you?"

"About the same. That meaning pathetically single."

"Nothing wrong with singleness, Bucky. Seriously, Bucky? Couldn't have been Jamie or something?"

"You want that shower or do you wanna mock my nickname some more, darling?" Bucky asked with so much sass, Tony was sure he was falling in love, no self-preservation whatsoever. "Come on, I'll lend you a pair of sweatpants."

"Well, well, well Mr. Barnes, that's quite forward of you trying to get me naked and wet so quick, at least make me coffee first."

Bucky cocked his hip against the breakfast bar and his eyes went at half-mast before his mouth curved into a sinful, honest to Newton's Law of Gravity, sinful smile. "You got me, doll. I want you naked in my shower, wearing my clothes, smelling of my shampoo. Maybe if we get lucky I can mark you up all pretty before coffee is done and your friend gets here, whatcha think, Tony?"

Was he breathing? Was this the real life or had he died in captivity and found this really weird but rewarding in itself version of the talked about Paradise? 'Cause that? That was too fucking hot and tempting for words and now he was just nodding like a fucking dumbass, that he'd attribute it to the very hot, very tempting mental picture Bucky had painted for him and now had blood redirecting south. "Um, yeah, I'd like that shower now."

"Follow me." Bucky said and swaggered in front of Tony.

He, gladly obliged.

  
  



End file.
